G20 'April fool's joke' leads to prosecution for impersonating police

A group of part-time anarchists called the Space Hijackers is being prosecuted
for impersonating police officers at last April’s G20 protests, despite
claims it was an "April fool's joke".

By Ian Johnston

11:11AM BST 27 Sep 2009

Eleven people are being taken to court after they were seen heading towards the demonstrations with what appeared to be a police personnel carrier, complete with a toy machine gun, to the sound of Ride of the Valkyries played over loud speaker.

Some in the group wore blue boiler suits and riot helmets, but defendants claim that the overall effect was of an "entertaining" protest.

However prosecutors have decided to go ahead with the charges, which are normally used against con artists who trick elderly people into allowing them into their home by pretending to be police officers.

Keith Vaz MP, who chairs the House of Common’s home affairs select committee, which held an inquiry into the riots, told The Sunday Times: “The G20 protests resulted in some very serious incidents for those who were being policed and those who were policing.”

But he added that he was “extremely surprised” if there were going to be prosecutions that did not meet “the very important test of whether a prosecution is in the public interest.”

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The case hinges on whether passersby genuinely believed the anarchists were police officers. Leah Borromeo, 30, a freelance writer, who was wearing a riot helmet and black bra has been charged, while a woman in red stockings, flowery dress and riot helmet has not.